BATTLES EXTEND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 August 1941, Page 5

BATTLES EXTEND

INTO ADDITIONAL AREAS ENEMY TRYING TO ENCIRCLE LENINGRAD. ATTEMPT TO INVADE CRIMEA ANTICIPATED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON. August 11. A Moscow communique mentions heavy fighting in two sectors which’ have not previously been officially named. The first is a point cast of Lake Ilmen, 35 miles beyond Porkov and 125 miles due south of Leningrad. The enemy seem to be making an effort to encircle Leningrad by a combined offensive from the north and south. The recent Finnish communiques have been very vague, but they suggest a thrust down the western shore of Lake Ladoga. In an effort to link up with this offensive, the Germans have been attacking north-east of Lake Peipus. Their plans are still embarrassed by the Russian resistance in Estonia and though the Germans claim to have reached the coast of the Gulf of Finland the Russians still hold the capital and port of Tallinn, and the Soviet radio in the centre of the country continues to operate.

The second sector where heavy fighting is newly mentioned is at Uman, 105 miles south of Kiev. While direct attack is still held off, German forces have been by-passing the city toward the south-east in a strategy combined with the threat to Odessa. The Moscow communique again reports fighting in the Byelaya-Tserkov sector, 45 miles south-south-west of Kiev. The other sectors mentioned are Smolensk and Kholm.

The Turkish national broadcasting station quotes reliable Moscow advices that the Germans may shortly attempt an invasion of the Crimea, with the object of supporting the Kiev push. The Germans have recently concentrated 250 to 300 naval barges at Constanta, each of which is capable of carrying 400 troops. An additional 400 barges and also 20 Rumanian and 30 Bulgarian freighters are concentrated at other Black Sea ports. Fifteen to 20 torpedoboats are being assembled in Rumanian and Bulgarian ports, while at least eight German submarines are ready to protect the fleet.